Wago n-wheel



yWILLIAM DOWNHAM, OF ST. JOHNS, MICHIGAN.

WAGON-WHEEL.

SPECIFICATION formingv part of Letters Patent No. 242,285, dated May 31, 1881.

Application tiled March 25, 1881.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, WILLIAM DowNHAM, of St. Johns, in the county ot' Clinton and State of Michigan, have invented a new Improvement in Wagon-Wheels, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of my invention is to provide means by which the felly ot' a carriage, wagon, or other similar wheel may be enlarged for the IO purpose of tightening the tire ot' the Wheel;

also, means by which the spokes ofthe wheel may be lengthened to correspond with the felly when enlarged, and for taking up or tightening any wear or shrinkage ot' the spokes. The invention consists, essentially, in providing the felly and the spokes of the wheel with extensible metal sections, the former be-A ing extended or enlarged by means of a suitable Wedge and the latter by a screw mechanism.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a front view of a wheel having my invention attached. The telly attachment is shown in vertical section. Fig. 2 is a section taken on 2 5 the line .fr Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a section taken on the line y of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a section taken on the line z z of Fig. 1.

Similar letters ot reference indicate correspondin g parts.

A represents the hub, and B the tire, ot' the wheel, which are of ordinary construction.

The felly C ofthe wheel is provided at any point between any two ofthe spokes ot' the wheel with the section D, which is ot cast or similar metal, and formed at both ends with the recesses or chambers d d', which tit like ferrules over the ends c o of the telly.

Vithin the chamber d is placed the plate a,

ot' metal, and the cushion b, of leather, rubber, 4o or similar material, the cushion coming between the plate and the end o' ot1 the felly.

One side of the metal plate a is recessed or rounded out, as shown at c, for the reception of the oval head c of the metal follower E, 45 which is placed in the slot or mortisc lformed (Model.)

in the section D, and is moved therein to enlarge the felly by the wedge F, which moves in contact with the rear end of the follower in the cross slot or mortise h in the section D, and which is held in place in said slot by means of 5o the set-screw f entering a vertical screw-tap formed in the metal section.

The spokes Gr are provided with the terrule H, which has the threaded extension h, over and upon which the screw-cap J lits. The end ot' the screw-cap J is reduced, as shown atj, and lits in the socket formed in the clip or Washer L, and it is provided upon the outside with the lugs a a, (or slots may be used,) by which the cap is turned by means ot' a suitable 6o wrench for lengthening the spokes.

The clip or washer L is preferably formed with the stud k, which, when in place on the felly O, enters a hole formed in the felly, as shown in Fig. 2, and with the enlargement k', in which is formed the seat or socket for the headj ofthe screw-cap J.

Thus constructed, the felly may be enlarged for tightening the tire by simply loosening the set-screwfand driving the wedge F, and the 7o spokes maybe lengthened to correspond by turning the screw-cap J.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is- 7 5 l. The combination ofthe telly-piece D, having slots lzI i and ends chambered out and tting over sections of the felly, the plate a, the follower E, and the screwf, with the t'elly ot a wheel, as and for the purpose specified.

2. The combination, with the spokes and t'elly, of the t'errule ]EI, having threaded extension h', the screw-cap J, and the clip L, having stud 7c and enlargement with socket l, as and for the purpose specified.

WILLIAM DOWNHAM.

Witnesses:

H. D. MCCABE, C. H. MGGABE. 

